I wonder if my crazy art glass background is where I get some of my skewed Stew views. It stretches back to post college days working in a 3-person stained glass shop doing mostly commercial and religious commissions. Following were several (we’ll call them) internships at big production studios and a continuing glass education.My last “job” was in a private studio owned by a big restaurant company (parent to several well-known chains) in which we built large-scale architectural projects (domes, ceilings, large fixtures, complex ornamental windows) to heavily adorn the interiors of the restaurants. The designs for these projects were “adapted” from a collection of original studio drawings from a business that had closed. Everyone used to talk about what a great designer my boss was, but I used the word “adapted” because the designs looked awfully close to the originals. That part of my career ended through efforts to organize the craftsmen to lobby for better working conditions. I got the pointed end of the boot for my efforts (everyone else got great benefits).

Now a freelance glass hacker for hire, I worked for every local studio that would use my talent (glazing, not organizing). In 1987 we incorporated and formed a new studio operation specializing in stained and etched glass originals for residential and commercial customers and in 1999 we started UroGlass to expand into 3-dimensional works. Today, we design-build to suit in many different mediums, and manufacture kiln-formed glass for distribution. It’s about how we work “to suit” frequently through adaptation that ties my past with present observations.

How many times have you had an inquiry like this: “I saw something made by XYZ that I really like and wonder if you can make it or something just like it?” Too often, I’d bet the answer is probably yes rather than no. And the reason? Decorative glass companies are in the business of finding solutions for customers, and what’s pleasing at the time might be someone else’s work.

So here’s my dilemma: while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, imitation that is replication is mostly called plagiarism and that’s a no-no. So if someone comes in with a clipping from an ad that has glass by Studio XYZ and says “Can you make this?” Then what is the right answer? Something like, “That’s a proprietary design by XYZ. Even if we try to make it, it isn’t going to be exactly the same. If you can show me the application and what you’re trying to accomplish then I can show you what we can do that will suit your needs.”

Now, I’d be lying if I told you I haven’t tried to imitate a certain style by request, but in these cases we’re talking about making a pattern that’s arranged to feel the same, but placed intentionally differently. I once described the process of designing in glass (but it applies to design in general) as observing nature, swallowing and digesting everything seen, and then regurgitating components mixed together in another form. Voila! A fresh design, but no original elements.

One should never copy a singular work of an artist or studio under any circumstances (unless you can buy a license to do so). I saw an ad once for a company that featured a glass ensemble touted as being “designed by” that company but it closely resembled a singularly original design that I had myself penned. I called the owner of the company to comment (don’t ask what I said); I sure didn’t feel flattered.

Here’s one last idea. What about using a different process to achieve the same “look?” For instance, how many types of laminations, ink-printed, silk-screened-ceramic applied, single-layered, multi-layered, cut-stencil etched, laser-etched, emulsion-resist etched, chemical etched, hand-cut, machine processed or other variety of material, same size and similar artwork, placed identically could you observe with a similar “look and feel?” The answer is an infinite variety or at least it seems like it. I wonder which came first. Who imitated who? Was everyone trying to get the same look, or are these independent efforts with coincidentally similar results?

Maybe it doesn’t matter at all and is not worth a rant. What does matter, however is that when you have someone come to you and ask you if you can provide them with a product they’ve seen, even if it’s not yours, your best option is to determine what you already have that will suit their purpose. If you can’t come close enough to satisfy, that’s OK–just remember the old sayings about “who you can please/how much of the time” and about being a “jack of all trades while master of none.”

Know your strengths and be prepared for the next time someone gives you the opportunity to flatter your competition by imitating what they’re doing. You’ll always come out a winner by demonstrating how well you can do that simply by doing what you do best already.